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Food aid reaches Congo rebel town Food aid reaches Congo rebel town
(about 4 hours later)
The UN has managed to send a food aid convoy across the frontline in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to the rebel-held town of Rutshuru. The UN has managed to send a convoy of badly-needed food aid across the front-line in eastern DR Congo to the rebel-held town of Rutshuru.
All sides, including government forces and the rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda, were warned about the convoy. The World Food Programme delivered a tonne of high-energy biscuits for children and said it hoped to send more convoys to the area on Friday.
An estimated 250,000 people have fled violence that flared in August. Many have received little or no aid. Some 250,000 people have fled violence that flared in August between rebel and government forces.
Earlier, the UN peacekeeping head asked the UN Security Council for 3,000 extra troops to protect civilians. The UN peacekeeping head has asked for 3,000 more troops to protect civilians.
There are 9,000 UN peacekeepers in the region, out of 17,000 nationwide.There are 9,000 UN peacekeepers in the region, out of 17,000 nationwide.
The latest crisis began when rebels advanced towards Goma, the capital of North Kivu, which is now ringed with refugee camps. The UN mission in DR Congo, Monuc, is its largest peace force in the world, but its leader says there are not enough troops to protect people from violence. name="text"> class="bodl" href="#infographic">See detailed map of the area
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had called for a ceasefire to allow aid workers to reach 100,000 refugees cut off in rebel-held areas north of Goma. The latest crisis began when rebels loyal to renegade General Laurent Nkunda advanced towards Goma, the capital of North Kivu, which is now ringed with refugee camps.
The UN mission in DR Congo, Monuc, is its largest peace force in the world, though the UN has called for reinforcements saying there are not enough troops to protect civilians. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a ceasefire to allow aid workers to reach 100,000 refugees cut off in rebel-held areas north of Goma. FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6,000-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 5,500 in North Kivu, 3,500 in South Kivu (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts
name="text"> class="bodl" href="#infographic">See detailed map of the area All sides were notified about the UN food convoy ahead of the delivery.
The UN World Food Programme said it had delivered a tonne of high-energy biscuits for children in Rutshuru. FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6,000-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 5,500 in North Kivu, 3,500 in South Kivu (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts
The agency hopes to begin larger-scale convoys to the area on Friday.
Other deliveries are being made around the town of Goma, drawing on a shipment of 65 tonnes of food that arrived in Goma on Wednesday.Other deliveries are being made around the town of Goma, drawing on a shipment of 65 tonnes of food that arrived in Goma on Wednesday.
But the BBC's Mark Doyle says many have received no significant food aid.But the BBC's Mark Doyle says many have received no significant food aid.
Two hours' drive south of Goma he found 1,700 displaced people outside Minova town.Two hours' drive south of Goma he found 1,700 displaced people outside Minova town.
They were living in shelters made from bent sticks hung with the leaves of banana trees, which our correspondent says served as a hopelessly flimsy roof against often torrential rains and the biting cold of the night.They were living in shelters made from bent sticks hung with the leaves of banana trees, which our correspondent says served as a hopelessly flimsy roof against often torrential rains and the biting cold of the night.
There were no aid workers at the makeshift camp.There were no aid workers at the makeshift camp.
He says at least four children have died in this camp in recent days. Thirty-year-old Tumu Sabire lost her two-year-old son. He says at least four children have died in this camp in recent days. Tumu Sabire, 30, says her two-year-old son died from malnutrition.
"He died from malnutrition," she said. "I have no food because I ran from the war." "I have no food because I ran from the war," she said.
Our reporter says the baby's name was Musaade, which, in the Swahili language, means "help". The baby's name was Musaade, which means "help" in Swahili, our reporter says.
Rwandan soldiersRwandan soldiers
Meanwhile, Britain's Financial Times newspaper says soldiers from the Rwandan army have been fighting alongside the dissident general Laurent Nkunda. href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7722688.stm">In pictures: DR Congo unrest class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7721205.stm">Face-to-face with NkundaSend us your comments Meanwhile, Britain's Financial Times newspaper says soldiers from the Rwandan army have been fighting alongside the dissident general Laurent Nkunda. href="/1/hi/world/africa/7725344.stm">Impossible task for UN class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7721205.stm">Face-to-face with NkundaSend us your comments
Their reporter in eastern DR Congo interviewed former rebels and observers who said some soldiers were continuing to receive their Rwandan army salaries while fighting with the general. Their reporter in eastern DR Congo interviewed former rebels and observers who said some soldiers were continuing to receive their Rwandan salaries while fighting with the general.
Rwanda denies backing the rebel leader who claims to be fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attacks by Rwandan Hutu rebels who fled to DR Congo after Rwanda's 1994 genocide. Rwanda denies backing the rebel leader, who claims to be fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attacks by Rwandan Hutu rebels who fled to DR Congo after Rwanda's 1994 genocide.
The Congolese government has often promised to stop the Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.The Congolese government has often promised to stop the Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.
On Monday, Gen Nkunda threatened to take over the whole country if President Joseph Kabila's government continued in its refusal to negotiate with him. But a Congolese official said the government was still unwilling to talk to the rebel leader and accused him of war crimes. On Monday, Gen Nkunda threatened to take over the whole country if President Joseph Kabila's government continued in its refusal to negotiate with him.
But a Congolese official said the government was still unwilling to talk to the rebel leader and accused him of war crimes.
The UN has accused both sides of war crimes during the latest violence.The UN has accused both sides of war crimes during the latest violence.
Mr Kabila was elected president in 2006 in polls that were backed by the UN, and which international observers generally declared to be fair.Mr Kabila was elected president in 2006 in polls that were backed by the UN, and which international observers generally declared to be fair.
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